<p>New Delhi:
Former IPL chief Lalit Modi kicks up a fresh controversy involving External
Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, as he had offered the husband of Swaraj a position
on the board of one of his family-run firms.

The new
controversy gave more ammunition for the Congress to target the Narendra Modi
government in the escalating Lalit Modi row as the opposition party raised
questions of conflict of interest and again demanded Sushma Swaraj’s
resignation.

Sushma’s
husband Swaraj Kaushal was offered the position of director to alternate for
the controversial former IPL chief on the board of Indofil Industries, an
integrated chemical company.

The offer was
made to Kaushal in April this year, months after Sushma Swaraj helped Lalit
Modi get urgent travel documents in the UK.

Lalit, who is
being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged money laundering,
later withdrew the offer before it could be considered by the Board. He is
currently based in the UK. KK Modi, Lalit’s father and CMD of Indofil, said the
proposal was withdrawn before it could be brought for consideration by the
board.

“So the board
never considered that request. That’s the current situation," he said.

“Lalit didn’t
give him (Swaraj Kaushal) power but a proposal that Kaushal be appointed as
alternate director of company,” Modi said, adding “(when) he’s not on the board
so where is the conflict of interest.

“No director
can be appointed without following the rules and regulations which are laid out
by law,” Modi said. Kaushal acknowledged that he had been offered a position on
the Indofil board.

Stating that
he is a lawyer for Lalit Modi for over 20 years, Kaushal said he was offered to
be alternate director on Indofil board but he did not give his consent and that
the request was withdrawn.

Earlier, the
Congress had asked Sushma Swaraj to come clean on the Lalit Modi issue and
asked the prime minister to break his "deafening silence" on the
matter.

“Sushma
Swaraj must tell the people of the country how many times she has met Lalit
Modi or if any of her family members had been in touch with the fugitive,”
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
Demanding
sacking of Swaraj, he reminded the prime minister that the Congress had adhered
to the "highest standards of propriety" by asking for resignation of
Madhavsinh Solanki and Natwar Singh when allegations were made against them
while they were External Affairs Minister. (With agency inputs)